Recently I went out to dinner with a friend who was widowed some years ago. In the ensuing years, she's built a happy, busy, and productive life for herself. As we pulled into a parking place at the restaurant, a couple in their 50's or 60's walked in front of the car. They were holding hands and talking and laughing. My friend and I watched them in silence, mesmerized by how much fun they seemed to be having together. My friend said it was times like that when she most missed being part of a couple.
It was a sad moment and a poignant reminder that those good times are missing from our lives. Have you or someone you know felt this way and what triggered it?
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Never Too Old
As I've mentioned previously, several years ago I started a new career as a writer. I had no experience except in academic writing - not related in any way to the light mysteries I read for fun and and the type of entertaining books I wanted to write.
In my beginning stage, I came across a true story (undoubtedly sent my way by the Universe) that convinced me, at my age or any age, to go ahead and follow my dream. I did and it worked out well. Having a new chapter to write gets me going every day.
My inspiring heroine is Betty Neels. One day by accident, Betty overheard a woman in her local library complain about the lack of good romance novels. Betty, a retired nurse and a voracious reader with time on her hands, decided to fill the gap. She was fifty-nine years old when she published her first novel. That's remarkable by itself but she went on to complete 134 romance novels, often writing four a year. She wrote until her death at the age of ninety-one in 2001. Her sweet, chaste romances were popular during her lifetime and are still selling.
Betty proved we are never too old to take a chance on something new and make a success of it. Way to go, Betty!
In my beginning stage, I came across a true story (undoubtedly sent my way by the Universe) that convinced me, at my age or any age, to go ahead and follow my dream. I did and it worked out well. Having a new chapter to write gets me going every day.
My inspiring heroine is Betty Neels. One day by accident, Betty overheard a woman in her local library complain about the lack of good romance novels. Betty, a retired nurse and a voracious reader with time on her hands, decided to fill the gap. She was fifty-nine years old when she published her first novel. That's remarkable by itself but she went on to complete 134 romance novels, often writing four a year. She wrote until her death at the age of ninety-one in 2001. Her sweet, chaste romances were popular during her lifetime and are still selling.
Betty proved we are never too old to take a chance on something new and make a success of it. Way to go, Betty!
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